Submission to MDC - Lansdowne to Kuripuni Cycleway

Submission to MDC - Lansdowne to Kuripuni Cycleway
https://www.mstn.govt.nz/council/have-your-say/consultations?item=id:2m803f0he17q9sefp2bv

To: submissions@mstn.govt.nz

14 June 2023

1. CAN supports the planned Lansdowne to Kuripuni Cycleway.
It's good to see the Council planning to build protected bike lanes. These are necessary to enable people to make more trips by bike and scooter. Paint is not protection.

2. We think the design could be improved, to provide a better level of service, and to meet MDC's climate, safety, equity, and liveability goals.

3. Masterton needs a cycling network to unlock potential bike rides. It's not clear how this route fits in to a wider network.

4. It's not enough to enable bike trips. The Council should make these a preferred way to get around. We'd like to see stronger statements in the case for change, e.g. To meet our climate, safety, equity, and liveability goals, we need to make cycling a preferred way to get around Masterton. With most urban journeys less than 5km, this is achievable. Reallocating space from vehicle parking to protected bike lanes make sense. With ample off-road parking nearby there's no need to retain on-street parking along this route.

5. Including a parking demand study and a vehicles per day analysis would help Councillors assess the impacts of this plan. It's hard to weigh up anecdotes from affected residents if you have no data.

6. For a cycling route to be well adopted, most if not all of the following requirements should be met (from the CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic https://crowplatform.com/product/design-manual-for-bicycle-traffic/ ):

1. Coherence / Cohesion – Is it easy to work out how to get from any A to B?

2. Directness – How efficient is it to get from A to B?

3. Attractiveness – Do people enjoy riding the route?

4. Safety – What are the risks and do people feel safe?

5. Comfort – Is the surface appropriate? How's the gradient? Are there barriers such as road crossings?

An assessment of how the plan aligns with these criteria would be helpful.

7. In urban areas, we prefer bike lanes on both sides of the street. It's more intuitive, and serves more destinations. Bi-directional designs create risk because people using footpaths and driveways don't expect bi-directional traffic.

8. The plans don't show the width of planned cycle lanes and vehicle lanes, so it's difficult to assess if space is properly allocated, and if the design meets NZ guidelines in Waka Kotahi's Cycle Network Guide (https://www.nzta.govt.nz/walking-cycling-and-public-transport/cycling/cycling-standards-and-guidance/cycling-network-guidance/ )

9. People on bikes and scooters need to access destinations such as the stores, church, dance school etc. It doesn't make sense to divert the bike lanes from these destinations.

10. We prefer to avoid shared footpaths unless there's a compelling reason. We can't see that here.

11. We recommend continuing bike paths for the full length of Columbo Rd to serve Lakeview School.

12. The Council should introduce 30 kmh zones around schools and wherever people on bike and scvooters have to share with motor vehicles. Government policy supports this.

About CAN

CAN is New Zealand's national charity of cycling advocates. We work with government, local authorities, businesses and the community on behalf of cyclists, for a better cycling environment.

CAN's goals are to:

• Promote the benefits of cycling

• Improve safety for cyclists

• Encourage the creation of a good cycling environment

• Advocate for integrated cycle planning

• Increase the number of cyclists on our roads.

CAN was formed in 1997 as New Zealand's national network of cycling advocate groups. It is the national voice for everyday people on bicycles - recreational, commuter and touring.